I need help identifying my SKS

My father in-laws father just passed away and in the mix, he was given an SKS. He isn't a gun person at all so he gave it to me. I'm having a heck of a time trying to identify the model of the gun. Can anybody please tell me what kind of SKS this is and whether or not it's a garbage gun or worth anything. My wife and I are just curious. Thanks, Chris

I can't tell you much, and maybe some folks can add info, but it is a Chinese copy of the Russian Samozaryadnya Karabin Simonova (Simonov Semiautomatic carbine) obrazets (model) 1945, commonly called the SKS. That one is the Chinese copy, which they called the [19]56 Type, and that is what it is marked. Caliber is 7.62x39, the Russian intermediate cartridge. The guns were widely imported for several years and sold for as little as $89. Even though they had been made for the Chinese Peoples Army, many of those imported were brand new and never issued, as appears to be the case with that one. Current value would be around $300+.

It is a semi-auto rifle with (as issued) a non-detachable magazine, so it was never considered an "assault rifle" under the now defunct federal law or most of the state laws.

BTW: The scope mount... does it look like it could be a factory job with the stock and receiver being modified, drilled & tapped for it or is it just mounted to the cover? It's not real clear in the photo but looks to be aftermarket. Nice at any rate.

This rifle was manufactured by Norinco of China and is the Paratrooper model. These short barreled versions are less common, and bring more than the standard models, probably around $400 or so, especially with the scope.